THE WH1TE-SP0RED AGARICS 



219 



Hygrophorus virgineus. Wulf. 



The Ivory-Capped Hygrophorus. Edible. 



Virgineus, virgin ; so called from its whiteness. The pileus is fleshy, convex, 

 then plane, obtuse, at length depressed; moist, sometimes cracked into patches, 

 floccose when dry. \ 



The gills are decurrent, distant, rather thick, often forked. 



Figure 175. Hygrophorus virgineus. Two-thirds natural size. Kntire plant white. 



The stem is curt, stuffed, firm, attenuated at the base, externally becoming 

 even and naked. Spores 12x5-6/1.. Fries. 



The plant is wholly white and never large. It is easily confounded with 

 H. niveus and sometimes difficult to distinguish from the white forms of H. 

 pratensis. This plant is quite common in pastures, both in the spring and in the 

 fall. I found the specimens in Figure 175 on Cemetery Hill under the pine trees 

 on November 11. They were photographed by Dr. Kellerman. 



